


Until the Bell Tolls

by Ebony_McCloud



Category: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Video Game), The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: (Basically just steals the plot of Cinderella), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Cinderella Elements, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:00:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29646834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ebony_McCloud/pseuds/Ebony_McCloud
Summary: It had been years since the boy that had promised to sweep her off her feet and bring her to a better life had vanished behind the castle walls. Now, after years of holding out hope for that promise, she would have one slim chance of seeing him once again.Only until the last stroke of midnight.
Relationships: Link/Mipha (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 40
Kudos: 33





	1. Chapter 1

The sun rose quietly over the still-sleepy city surrounding Hyrule Castle. It would be a few more hours yet before the general populace would rise and take to the streets, working, shopping, or visiting relatives and close friends. As early as it was though, there were few quiet souls already awake, tending to their duties so that others could rise and take the day more easily. One such soul belonged to a scarlet-scaled Zora, whose soft amber eyes, nearly always filled with warmth, shone brightly as she opened her manor’s coop and beckoned the waiting birds out into the waking world. She hummed a song that she had often heard in her childhood as the sleepy hens stumbled out, stretching their wings and legs, and called to each other blearily. Something that never failed to make her laugh just a bit.

“Hmm. You know, I still can’t figure out how you manage to be so happy. You don’t even fake it. It’s… creepy,” a small, translucent figure said as the Zora continued humming quietly.

“My father used to tell me that happiness is a choice. That anyone can find a reason to smile in the bleakest of circumstances,” the girl replied with a smile.

“Uh-huh…” Midna, one of the few friends that Mipha had been able to maintain over the years, floated around her lackadaisically with her hands behind her head and one leg crossed over the other. “So, what’s got you smiling now?”

“Oh, nothing in particular.” Mipha leaned down, separating two young cuccos that had started to squabble over some feed. Neither bird even bothered pecking at her as they had long since learned that they could not harm her and that she would do them no harm. In fact, it sometimes seemed to her that the little birds had taken a liking to her, especially after witnessing what had happened to one of her stepsisters the last time they had journeyed into the relatively small yard.

Reaching into the bag she held, she spread a few more crumbs down just to be sure they had enough. The chick cheeped gratefully before turning its attention to its meal. 

The Zora smiled fondly, watching for a brief moment before tying the bag closed. Hanging it up, she turned her attention to the patio and, grabbing a broom, set herself to sweeping off the stone patio. Thankfully, as they were outside, she wouldn’t have to worry about collecting the dirt and droppings into a dustpan. She could merely send it into the grass unless, of course, her stepfamily was particularly displeased with her. She wasn’t terribly worried about the potential issue though as they would have to rise quite early to catch her in the midst of her outdoor chores. Well, early for them, anyway.

Mipha, having a tremendous amount of work to do, often rose before the sun and went to bed after it set. It wasn’t exactly her favorite schedule but it was necessary. Failure to manage the upkeep of the manor would only resort in more work for her. 

Though it was a tad selfish, she really wished it hadn’t become necessary to fire the other servants. Or perhaps her stepsisters could pitch in as well. The idea was a source of grim amusement for her.

“Oh? Now you have to tell me,” Midna drawled as she turned over, her hands now holding up her head as she grinned playfully. “Let me guess… You’re thinking about putting a Cucco in one of their beds.”

“It’s nothing,” Mipha replied, allowing her softer smile to return as she cast the thought aside. There was no good in imagining any form of harm or discomfort on her stepfamily. Certainly, it might help them grow; however, she didn’t know them well enough to feel comfortable doling out such hardship.

“… You’re no fun, you know that?”

“I’m perfectly capable of having fun,” Mipha replied as she finished sweeping the patio. Thankfully, neither her stepmothers nor stepsisters often journeyed to the backyard (the cuccos really hated them it seemed), making it a simple thing to keep clean.

She just hoped that nobody other than Midna found out, as she wouldn’t be surprised if her stepsisters found some way to trash it simply so they could create more work for her. Though she didn’t like to speak, or even think, ill of anyone, she could not deny that her stepsiblings were quite petty. It was quite within character for them to needlessly trash a room simply so that she would have more to do. It had been so very… difficult for her to understand in her younger years. She had shed many tears over the issue but she had long since learned to not show any signs of emotional turmoil. Her stepmother seemed to be of the belief that if she had time to cry over something, then she was not working hard enough.

So, she had learned to wear a soft smile at all times. Such an expression seemed to kill any mood that her stepfamily was in to add to her chores, even when they were feeling particularly petty.

But it could be difficult to wear at times.

“I think there’s a saying about sticks in the mud,” Midna said idly as she rolled back over. “Actually, they could probably teach you how to let loose every once in a while.”

“If you’re feeling bored-”

“Oh no!” the imp interrupted. “I get that you have a lot to do and all, but I’m not risking that again.” After a moment, the imp’s glare faded as her eyes drifted toward the sky. “Although… the look on that old hag’s face was pretty funny. Maybe…”

“Don’t!” Mipha lowered her voice as Midna looked at her in a mix of surprise and bemusement. “I’m sure it was very funny but I don’t want you putting yourself at risk for a joke.”

“… You really need to learn to live a little,” the imp sighed. 

An awkward silence fell over the pair as Mipha replaced the broom and approached her favorite part of the manor: its pristine fountain. She could recall a few memories, sitting there with her father before he had passed on. Though the memories had long become murky, she still clung to what remained them, taking refuge in them when her burdens were almost too much for her to bear.

Looking down, the Zora’s smile faltered a little as she looked down at her reflection. Her father had always called her princess; however, the face she saw looking back was a tired, worn Zora wearing a simple white apron with a matching kerchief stretched across her head and tied beneath her cranial fin. Even the constant and intensive care she found time for only allowed her scales to maintain some of their natural scarlet luster and prevented more serious wilting of her fins. She was far from ill, but her lifestyle was certainly far from ideal for a Zora of any age. 

When was the last time she’d had a day off? A day to simply rest and recuperate?

She couldn’t recall, though she imagined it was back when her father was still alive. In those days, she’d even known when her hatch day was coming and how old she was.

The Zora had long since forgotten both of those personal details.

“Sorry…” Midna finally said, now upright. 

“It’s okay,” Mipha replied. Sure, the comment had stung a little as Midna knew better than anyone what her daily life looked like but she knew that the imp hadn’t meant anything by it. Though she had softened considerably since their first encounter, Midna still occasionally spoke thoughtlessly. She was always quick to apologize, if awkwardly.

“… Have you given my proposal any more thought?”

“I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but I think it would be better for me to stay here.”

“You’re not still holding out hope that a boy you haven’t seen in years is going to come to whisk you away, are you?”

Mipha made a noncommittal noise as she began fishing leaves, twigs, bugs, and other debris out of the fountain’s water. She knew that, with every passing day, it became less and less likely that such a promise would be kept, especially with the king holding the views on Zora that he did. But, Link was different than his father. Maybe there was still a chance. 

After all, he had kept every other promise he had made.

Midna sighed. “Miph, I don’t wanna crush your dreams but you gotta know that’s not gonna happen. If he was going to come for you, he was going to do it years ago.”

“It’s…”

“Complicated, yeah I know,” Midna groaned. “Look, I know a gal who could help you sneak out of the city and a guy who could help you get to wherever you want to go. He’s got a giant stone sword and everything.”

“And where would I go?” Mipha asked, just a bit of the helplessness she often felt tinging her voice. It wasn’t that she hadn’t considered leaving before, as her friend’s promise hadn’t been bound to one location. And, she had a feeling that Midna’s friend could also find a way to sneak a letter into the castle.

No, the issue was that she didn’t know where she was supposed to go. According to her father, they had traveled from a city made entirely of Zora to get to Castle Town, meaning to only pass through; however, through circumstances she could never quite understand, he had married the woman she knew as a stepmother. More than likely, it was about money, as her father had come from old money as did her stepfamily, if she understood the situation correctly. After all, there was no other way her stepsisters could laze around or throw tantrums all day as they did.

Still, what she wouldn’t have given to not ‘have’ all the niceties and live somewhere quite far away.

Then again, both Midna and Link were in Castle Town and not all of her memories were of toil and trouble.

Shaking herself lightly, she reminded herself that there were things to be grateful for. As rude and inconsiderate as her stepfamily could be, they were far better than some of the other Hylian families she might have wound up with.

“I don’t know, but I can think of a few places that are better than here. More Zora-friendly, you know?”

“And what about Twili-friendly?” Mipha asked curiously.

“No… can’t say I know a place like that.” The imp’s face darkened considerably at the thought.

“I’m sorry Midna.”

“Eh, don’t be,” she replied, shrugging off her discontent as she lay on her side, propping up her head with a single hand. “I know it’s pretty unlikely that we’ll ever be accepted anywhere.”

“Still, that should not be,” Mipha said. “You and the other Twili deserve better.”

“Thanks.” Midna fixed her with a rather stern look. “And you do too.”

“Someday.”

“That’s what you keep saying.”

“Well,” Mipha replied, a warmer, more genuine smile lighting up her face, “there’s no use moping about it now.” Though her friend could sometimes be aloof or cold, her moments of sincerity always warmed the Zora’s heart. “It’s about time for me to start cooking breakfast. Are you hungry?”

“Thank Hylia,” Midna groaned as she floated after Mipha, “I was worried you were gonna let me starve all day.”

“Perish the thought,” Mipha replied with a giggle.

* * *

“Can you believe what Brigo said to me?!” the older of the stepsisters whined. “Only pretending to take interest in me so I wouldn’t jump off his precious bridge.”

“You need to get your head checked,” the younger replied as she picked at her food. “He didn’t even pretend to be interested in you. He should have let you jump…”

“Enough,” their mother replied callously as she looked up from her book. “If you two wish to fight, you may take it outside.”

Both girls paled considerably at the thought.

Silence fell over the room as their mother returned to her pages while the sisters poked at their food, both sulking over something or other.

Just a few feet away, Mipha was on her hands and knees, scrubbing away at a particularly nasty spot on the floor. Apparently, the cat her stepmother kept had eaten something its stomach hadn’t agreed with. Now, the Zora girl had to clean it up as quickly and effectively as she could. She had sensed her stepmother’s foul mood that morning as she had descended from her room but it was far worse than she thought if the woman was losing patience with her own daughters. The middle-aged woman wasn’t exactly a doting mother but she often expressed pride in her daughters that was most certainly unearned. If she was ready to snap at them, something was wrong indeed.

So, as Mipha finished cleaning the mess, she stood, hauling the bucket with water quickly and gracefully away, doing well to avoid her stepmother’s field of view. Days like this were strange, as when the matriarch of the house was in such a mood, she demanded silence. The depth of her self-absorption was so great that she demanded  _ absolute  _ silence. Not only would she ignore Mipha’s existence (unless the Zora made the mistake of trying to capture her attention) but she had no patience for her daughter’s petty attitudes. Any attempt of her stepsisters to increase her workload inevitably led to them being rebuked quite loudly followed by them being forced to deal with whatever mess they had created. Perhaps subtlety would have worked but, thankfully, her stepsisters weren’t the sharpest knives in the drawer.

The now-awkward meal continued in silence, with everyone too afraid of the lady of the house to so much as exchange glances. Instead, the two Hylian girls sat sulking, pushing their food from one end of their plate to the other as Mipha left the dining room behind and retreated into the backyard. Dumping the filthy water out, she took a brief moment to catch her breath and check on the laundry. Seeing that it needed a little longer to dry, she refilled the bucket using the pump before returning to the inside of the manor.

The dining room was just as awkward as she had left it; however, she paid it no mind. This would be an excellent time for her to get ahead seeing as she wouldn’t be waiting on any of the women. Maybe she’d have some extra time at the end of the night to check on her treasures. It was rare for her to have a chance to do so and it’d weighed heavily on her for a few days now. Though the sashes and tiara she had managed to stow away were safe from her stepmother, in theory, that didn’t mean they were safe from excess moisture or the bugs that dug through the small hole that she had stowed them in. Had she been willing to impose more on Midna, she might have asked the imp to use her magic to hide them permanently; however, she felt that she had asked too much of her friend as it was. Midna always stepped in when she felt that Mipha’s possessions were at risk, even if it was a small threat at worst. Asking her to do anymore was a bit much, especially with how her powers were weakened during the day.

And, it was nice to be able to pull them out and look over them of her own free will. Sometimes, if she was quite certain that she would not be disturbed, she would even try the Zora garb on. The sashes were a bit too big and the tiara was a bit much without the accompanying bracelets and necklace, but she still liked wearing them all the same.

Unfortunately, they were all she had managed to save as the rest had been sold off by her stepmother. Apparently, her father’s passing had left them in quite a lot of financial distress yet she had never once seen either of her stepsisters’ dresses, jewelry, or other possessions carted off. It wasn’t so much the loss of finery that stung but rather, it felt that each piece was the last bit of her father that she had left as well as a reminder of her heritage. While she didn’t exactly need a tiara or deep blue sashes (heaven knew she wasn’t a princess, though that didn’t stop her from fantasizing now and again), the Zora still found the mere idea of their loss devastating. Though she remembered little of the Zora settlement she grew up in, her lineage was still important to her. It was the thing she could cling to when most of the rest of her identity had been stolen from her.

Emboldened by the thought of some time to herself, Mipha attacked her chores with a little more vigor than normal. Time flew by, far faster than she had anticipated, though she had not wasted a moment nor dallied for even a second longer than necessary. Her stepfamily, rather put off with each other after what must have been a long day of tension, had long since holed themselves up in their own rooms, too upset to even pay her any mind.

Finishing her daily routine quickly but thoroughly, she finally retreated to the attic, being sure to step by her stepfamily’s rooms as quietly as she could. From what she had gathered, there was some financial distress that had been causing her stepmother no end of frustration that day. Ironically, it had made Mipha’s day one of the easiest she’d had in quite some time. Even so, she knew there was a risk in allowing herself to become too comfortable. So, she fled to her room, a mere ghost in the night.

Once she was relatively safe in the confines of her tiny room, the Zora girl crawled under her bed, prying open the small hiding spot she used to keep her secrets safe. Gingerly, she plucked the tiara as well as a couple of the sashes that he stowed away and pulled them out. Setting them down, she ran her fingers over the soft, water-resistant fabrics, appreciating the silky feel of them. Each of them was decorated with white aesthetics depicting various symbols important to her people, three crescents back to back to back, a fish, and her personal favorite, an adorable-looking elephant. Though she loved running her eyes over every detail, her main concern was making sure that each was undamaged. Once satisfied with their condition, she picked up the small crown as though she might break it, appreciating the exquisite craftsmanship. How could anyone work durable metals into such shapes with so many intricate details? And that they had even managed to embed gems into the metal. It truly was something out of a fairytale.

“Ya gonna look at those all night, or are you going to try them on?” Midna was floating above, far less translucent than she had been that morning. Now, Mipha was able to make out the finer details of her diminutive body, with inky black skin etching designs into her otherwise near teal countenance. The twili’s physiology was ever a source of fascination to the Zora girl; however, she currently had something else to attend to.

Though she had been quite fond of the thought of trying them on, she was now assaulted by doubts as she looked them over. “I’m not sure-”

Floating down, Midna took hold of the tiara with surprising strength. Before Mipha could protest, the imp reached up and placed it on her head, narrowing her eyes as she straightened it.

“Red, yellow, or blue?” she asked as she floated back.

“B-blue,” Mipha answered.

“All right,” Midna replied. Picking up the corresponding cloth, the imp eyed it over as she muttered to herself. “Hope I remember how to do this right.” Then, she set to work, wrapping it around Mipha’s shoulder and hip with some help from the Zora. When she had finished, Midna floated away to get a better view. “Yep… that’s about what I thought.”

“Do I…” the Zora cringed as she heard her tongue peeling on the roof of her mouth. Why was her mouth suddenly so dry. “Do I look okay?”

“Oh yeah,” Midna answered with a whistle. “The sash is a bit too big, but that’s an easy fix.” The imp grinned as she floated back toward her, leaning in while covering a corner of her mouth with a hand. “Trust me, you’re gonna have to be careful where you go while wearing that.”

“O-oh!” was all Mipha could muster as her face heated up considerably.

Midna laughed silently, looking as though she might fall out of the air as she floated upwards unsteadily. “You should see the look on your -” the imp froze, all signs of humor gone from her face. With a growl, she snapped her fingers, causing Mipha’s outfit to disappear into the shadow, followed by Midna herself. Knowing what such a reaction meant, Mipha quickly scrambled to her bed and replaced the loose floorboards. 

Breathing deeply, the Zora did her best to quiet her nerves as she heard the creaking of floorboards. Knowing that pretending to sleep would only bring trouble, she set about tidying up her room. It wasn’t like she needed to, as she spent so little time in there outside of sleeping and freshening up here and there. Still, she needed to be making some noise to prevent arousing anymore suspicion. Glancing toward the door, she spotted the flickering light of a candle creeping underneath the wooden obstruction. Watching carefully, she continued straightening out the few belongings she was allowed until the light disappeared. Steps creaked away from her, allowing the Zora girl to finally breathe easy.

“What was she doing here?” Midna hissed quietly as she rose from the shadows. “She’s been off in her own world all day and suddenly she’s thinking about visiting you in the middle of the night?”

“She might have heard us,” Mipha whispered.

“Then she should have caught us years ago,” the imp countered just as quietly. “…”

“What is it?”

Midna frowned. “I’m not even sure she was listening to what you were doing.”

“What are you saying?” It was unusual for her to be almost shaken by the actions of Mipha’s stepfamily. Angry, yes. Indignant, yes. Scornful, absolutely. But shaken? That was rare and often precluded a potentially difficult situation. Seeing it now did nothing to help the Zora’s anxiety.

“Not sure.” The imp shook her head and shrugged. “I don’t know, but it can’t be anything good. If I didn’t know better, I’d think they were planning on selling you off.” 

Mipha’s eyes widened in worry at that statement.

“… But then they’d have to take over all of your work… heh,” she chuckled as a slightly malicious grin crossed her face. It was quick to fade. “Still, shouldn’t rule that possibility out.” Finally meeting the Zora’s eyes, Midna’s mouth tightened slightly. “I know you’re dead-set on waiting for… what was his name again? Doesn’t matter,” she said, immediately waving off her own question. “I know you’re determined to wait for him but I think you should reconsider not leaving. At least do it for me, okay?”

Mipha opened her mouth, her gut instinct to argue; however, Midna was quick to cut her off.

“If you’re still certain he’s going to come for you one day, would you at least consider living in the moat? It wouldn’t be great, but you’d still be nearby.”

The Zora closed her mouth, considering the option. All things considered, living in the moat probably wouldn’t be much worse than her current conditions. Sure, she doubted that the moat was particularly clean but it was connected to a rather major river, which would help control the quality somewhat. Though it still sounded like a stretch, Midna had proven that someone could live in the shadows for years, even if it wasn’t comfortable.

It was certainly something to give more thought to.

“I will consider it,” she answered quietly.

“Good… don’t take too long though.”

“I won’t,” Mipha assured her. “Now, why don’t we get some rest. It was a long day and we have plenty to do tomorrow.”

“Speak for yourself,” Midna replied as she stretched her arms out above her head. “I had one of the best naps ever today, you know? Besides, I need to do some thinking.”

“Very well,” the Zora replied. “I hope that you have a good night,” she said before blowing out her candle and settling in for the night.

“You too,” Midna murmured. “And I hope better nights lay ahead,” she added far more quietly.

“Hmm?” Mipha asked with a yawn, already starting to doze off.

“Mind your own business.”

The Zora giggled fondly as she fell into another restless slumber.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you ever see fruity pebbles coffee creamer on the shelves at your local grocer's. Do yourself a favor and avoid it like the plague.

_ “Psst!” _

_ Mipha looked over her shoulder, seeing a blond head poking out of a nearby bush. Link grinned at her, motioning for her to join him. She had been outside, spending some time with her father, who had been quite busy lately. The young girl wasn’t sure why he had started having so many appointments in their home; however, he had been making just as much time for her these days, so Mipha was content. Though he was kind to her stepsisters, she had noticed that he gave him nowhere near the love and attention he lavished on her. It was rather sad, as he was utterly wonderful, though she did struggle to feel terribly for them if she were honest. Her stepmother was not shy about her favoritism toward her own flesh and blood. Very often, when she ‘treated’ the girls of the house, Mipha was always forgotten. Still, she received small presents from him that her stepsisters most certainly did not. _

_ “Oho,” her father chuckled as he took notice of the Hylian prince as well. “It seems we have a visitor,” his mirth was quick to subside behind a coughing fit that had become more prevalent over the last couple of weeks. He set Mipha down before climbing to his feet. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to lie down for a while. I trust you can entertain our guest, my dear.” _

_ “Yes, father.” _

_ He sent her off with a warm smile and soft embrace before returning to the manor. Mipha, excited by the prospect of playing with her friend, didn’t wait to see him safely inside. The Prince’s visits had come more and more sparingly over the last year, with him now struggling to slip out of the castle. Apparently, now the only time he could ‘get away’ was when his and his sister’s favorite guard decided to take them out into the city. According to the Prince, the Gerudo was very unspecific with rules, only giving him a time that she expected him to safely return. Unfortunately, the guard wasn’t assigned to them as often as anyone would have liked. _

_ “Link!” she cried out joyfully, rushing to him. _

_ “Shhh!” he hissed, unable to hide his grin completely. He had a few twigs and leaves tangled in his messy blond locks and his eyes sparkled as brilliantly as any gems she’d ever seen. His left arm clutched a small, rectangular parcel “Don’t want any nearby guards to hear.” _

_ “Right!” Looking around to make sure that no one was watching, Mipha joined him, grimacing slightly as twigs poked her. _

_ “Follow me.” _

_ Taking the lead, the Prince led her through the brush, holding up a silent hand as they reached the road leading into the heart of the city. Moving quickly, they dashed out of hiding, beelining for a back alley. For as long as she had known them, Link had been rather adept at navigating the city’s less-traveled parts as he had apparently been traversing them for some time before they’d met. Now, his expertise showed as he guided them deftly, avoiding any guards and nobles who would recognize them. Mipha, uncertain of where he was leading her, chose to trust him implicitly as they made their way into an unfinished part of the city. Soon, cobblestone roads gave way to dirt, grass, and trees.  _

_ “You’re gonna love this,” Link said, grinning at her over his shoulder as he led her into a particularly dense cluster of trees. Weaving through the foliage, they finally arrived at a small pond decorated with lilypads and pink and purple lotuses. _

_ “It’s so pretty,” Mipha breathed as she took it all in. _

_ “I know your birth- er - hatchday is coming up soon,” Link explained. “Thought we could celebrate by playing in the water.” _

_ “I’d love to!” _

_ Link grinned. “But first…” he held up the box, opening it to reveal two small, decadent cake _ s.  _ “We should celebrate properly. Go ahead,” he said encouragingly, “pick your favorite…” _

Mipha’s eyes opened slowly, revealing a pitch-black ceiling overhead. It was the first time in recent memory that a dream had stuck with her so vividly and such a bittersweet one at that. Those days, when her father had been alive and relatively well and her dear friend had yet to disappear behind the castle walls…

Those days were the happiest she had ever been.

With a sigh and a pained smile, the Zora climbed out of bed and donned her apron and kerchief. As she did so, she couldn’t help but allow her thoughts to drift back to the turbulent days that had preceded what had become the norm. Not long after that day, her father’s sickness had grown worse, leaving him bedridden. Mipha had done her best to stay strong, believing that he would overcome whatever was ailing him as he always did.

Unfortunately, he would be unable to overcome the illness that plagued him in his final days.

By this point, it had become nearly impossible for Link to make it out of the castle. He had gotten caught on one of his “adventures” and even the guard that had allowed him to roam the city couldn’t help him anymore. 

To his credit, the Prince had managed to escape the castle and attended her father’s funeral, though she hadn’t known until afterward when she caught sight of him hiding in a tree. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been able to sneak in any time with her, and thus, she was left alone in a group of Hylians who mostly ignored her. There were a few kind ones who expressed sincere condolences to her but it only alleviated her loneliness so much.

What she would have given to have her friend beside her that day, rather than a cold, callous woman and her two ungrateful daughters. It was a harsh sentiment but she had a feeling her father would not have disagreed. From what she could recall, he’d had a particular fondness for the Prince, though. She liked to believe that he would have wanted Link there and, even if he hadn't, she desired his presence. 

Taking a quick moment to wash her face with cold water, the Zora was physically ready to begin her day. Emotionally, she was anything but.

Making her way down the massive stairs, Mipha’s mind continued wandering through the past. Not long after her father’s passing, life had become different. It had been a gradual change, with her stepmother firing a few servants and having Mipha trained to replace them. Then, as time went on, many of her books, jewels, pendants, and other gifts from her father had been taken, followed by her bed and eventually, her room altogether. Apparently, growing Hylian girls needed a spare bedroom in which to try on their multitude of ridiculous-looking outfits. What replaced them was a tiny space in the attic, with the few precious items she had snuck under her stepmother’s nose, and her white apron.

As the months turned to years, the other servants were also relieved of their duties one by one, eventually leaving Mipha all alone to handle the manor’s upkeep. It had been difficult, but she had done her best, as she knew would have been expected of her. Her father had always impressed upon her the need to make the best of any situation, otherwise, life was a misery.

There were small joys, to be sure. But Hylia knew there were plenty of difficult days as well.

During this time, Link had all but disappeared entirely. That was, until the day a soldier had come knocking, asking if any of them had seen the Prince. Mipha, rarely one to speak up, had asked after him frantically, much to her stepmother’s embarrassment and the soldier’s annoyance. After assuring him that they had not seen hide nor hair of him, her mother had banished her to the back yard, where she was to keep busy until after their visitor had left.

And that was where she had found him.

Unlike his old, bubbly and energetic self, the Prince appeared rather nervous and angry about something. But he had still smiled for her.

Explaining that he knew she didn’t have much time, he quickly explained why he’d run away. He had been spying on their manor for the past few days, trying to find an opportune moment to speak with her again. During that time, he had witnessed what her life had come to. It had made him furious but he admitted he didn’t know what to do, other than to make her a promise.

A promise that one day, when they were old enough, he would bring her to the castle so that they could be wed. And there, she wouldn’t have to experience her stepfamily’s scorn any longer.

With his promise made, Link had disappeared back into the underbrush bordering the manor , returning to the castle. She would not see him again.

Even so, the promise had kept her spirits up, even when her stepmother had given her quite the tongue lashing for her outburst and then dumped even more tasks on her. She had endured it all, believing with all her heart that the Prince would keep his word. 

And she had continued to believe it through the years.

Turning over such bittersweet thoughts in her mind, the Zora set herself to her daily cleaning.

* * *

  
  


“Mipha, my food needs salt.”

The Zora repressed a sigh as she set her rag down and crossed the room, picking up the salt shaker that sat within arm’s length of her younger stepsister. With a few conservative shakes, she salted the food. As far as she was concerned, there wasn’t any point in doing so; however, she knew better than to give voice to such opinions. So, she waited, hands folded at her waist as her stepsibling shoveled another spoonful of food into her mouth. Her face soured considerably.

“Now it’s too salty!” she snapped, shoving the plate away with an obvious pout.

The girl’s mother said nothing, not even looking up from her book as she continued eating.

“I’m sorry. I’ll get you a new plate,” Mipha said, mustering as much grace for the girl as she could. Reaching down, she took the plate and dumped it where it could be seen. She had made the mistake of taking a plate of food into the kitchen once. Afterward, her stepmother had accused her of being a selfish child, insisting that her intent had been to eat while they were left waiting and hungry.

The irony being, Mipha’s was the only stomach that could be heard, if only barely.

Returning to the kitchen, the Zora girl grabbed another plate and filled it, being sure to arrange it as beautifully as she was able. A lack of proper placement was enough to have yet another plate dumped and, if she wasn’t careful, there would be nothing left for her. 

A genuine smile graced Mipha’s face for just a moment as she heard Midna grumbling angrily from the shadows. When she had first found the imp, she had been gravely injured and was starving. Though it had been difficult, the Zora girl had squirreled food and supplies away little by little, feeding and tending to the Twili’s wounds. It had taken a few weeks for her to heal, and weeks longer for her to begin trusting Mipha but, eventually, Midna had come around. Thinking of such things was often hard for Mipha; however, it made her smile to hear her friend was ever at her side watching. Sure, the imp couldn’t do much to help her in her current circumstances but just the knowledge that someone was present and indignant for her sake helped.

Taking a moment to collect herself and resume her soft smile, the Zora reentered the dining room and placed the new plate in front of her stepsister. “Here you are.”

Mipha kept her face perfectly controlled as her stepsister took a bite, chewing ostentatiously before giving a rather patronizing nod. “Better.”

“I’m so happy to hear that.” With a slight bow, Mipha left her side and returned to the shelves she had been dusting prior. Why they felt the need to waste food, time, and energy was beyond her, but she had stopped trying to understand them. Though it hurt to admit that the only family she had left hated her, it was the reality of the situation. It had been a point of tension between her and Midna for quite some time. Though, through persistence, the imp had finally convinced her that some reconciliations were impossible, especially when the balance of power was so skewed.

So, now, the Zora was simply trying to survive. Survive long enough for the change she wished for to occur. And so, with rag in hand, she returned herself to the meager act of dusting. 

A sharp knock sounded from the front door disrupted the tentative peace of the room.

“Do not trouble yourselves. I will get it.”

Once again setting down her rag (and wondering if she would ever finish the one simple chore), Mipha left the dining room. Expecting it to be a Rito with a random parcel or letter or a neighbor wishing to arrange a brunch, the Zora was surprised to find a knight awaiting an answer.

“Good morning, sir…”

“No need. A missive from the king,” he said gruffly as he handed her a rolled letter that bore the seal of the Hylian Royal Family. “Be sure the Lady receives it.”

“I wi -”

The knight didn’t wait for her to finish, turning away abruptly and marching toward the manor’s gate.

“-ll.” Despite how rude the knight had been, Mipha had already forgotten him as she pondered what the message she held could be. Was it the one she had spent years waiting for? Certainly, Link would still come himself rather than sending a note. Of course, she would do her best to be understanding if he was somehow held up but at least there was a chance. Then again, it may be better to not get her hopes up at all. This wasn’t the first time that she had allowed some random message from the Royal Family to raise her hopes only for them to be dashed when it was a simple announcement on new taxes or the like.

“What was it?” her stepmother asked as Mipha returned to the dining room.

“A missive from the King,” Mipha replied as she handed the letter over.

“I see. Thank you.” Lost in thought, the woman broke the seal on the letter and began to read. 

Knowing that she wasn’t safe yet, no matter what contents the letter held, the Zora picked up the rag for the third time that day and began dusting yet again. Wiping every inch of the shelf in small circles, she listened attentively, nearly leaping out of her scales when her stepmother gasped.

“What is it, mother?!” her stepsisters cried in unison.

“A ball,” the woman breathed.

Mipha’s heart dropped at the news. She had known there was a small chance that it had come from Link directly and was meant for her but she couldn’t help hoping, at least a little.

“A ball?!”

“Tomorrow, in celebration of the Prince and Princess’s seventeenth birthday.” It was odd to hear the older woman speak so. She hid it far better than her daughters but Mipha could hear the excitement in her voice. “By the King’s command, all eligible suitors are to attend.”

Mipha’s movements slowed to a halt, now too focused on the words of her stepmother to pay the dusting any mind. 

“This could be our -”

The rest of the matriarch’s words were lost as her stepsisters clamored over each other. Both expressing excitedly their own determination to win Hyrule’s Prince for themselves while also telling the other off for encroaching on her territory. 

Mipha, on the other hand, remained deathly silent. All eligible suitors? It was obvious that the King was now trying to ensure the continuation of the Royal Family but certainly…

Link had to remember, didn’t he? He’d kept every promise he’d made so far.

“Girls, girls!” their mother snapped, quieting them. “Hurry and finish eating. We have a lot of preparations to see to.”

“If I may…” Mipha wasn’t sure what had compelled her to speak up. She hadn’t even wanted to say a word to them; however, now that she had started, she steeled herself. “… I was thinking that maybe I could go as well.”

A rather unflattering noise emitted from her stepsisters’ mouths as they tried to stifle their laughter. “You?” the eldest asked.

“Do you think the Prince would even notice you?”

That one stung, but she stayed steady.

While her stepsisters continued making snide comments, her stepmother sized her up with a rather peculiar look in her eye. “You want to attend?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not going to-”

“Girls, girls,” the woman said again, this time far more quietly and calmly. “It does say all eligible suitors. I’m not sure the Prince would be interested in… well, someone of your heritage; however, far be it from us to disobey an order from the King.”

Mipha felt her heart soar as the answer was far better than she had anticipated. Even so, the Zora didn’t allow herself to rest easy as she knew what was coming.

“Of course, before you are allowed to go, you will have to finish your cleaning and preparations for the next day, and you will have to help your sisters with their own dresses. I expect those dresses will be in top condition,” she stated pointedly, “and you will, of course, need something to wear.”

“I’m sure I can manage,” Mipha said, unable to hide the excitement building up within. 

“Perhaps,” her stepmother agreed. “After all, you won’t need to prepare dinner or wash extra dishes…”

“I’ll get started right away!” The Zora rushed back to her tasks, completely missing the smirk that had curled the older woman’s face.

* * *

“Hurry up!” The younger of Mipha’s two stepsisters shook herself, as though that it might help the process along. Really, it only made it more likely that she would get poked by a stray pin.

“Just a moment,” the Zora replied around the pin in her mouth, somehow maintaining her patience. In fairness to her stepsister, the girl had remained mostly still for the majority of the fitting. To make it even easier, the fitting had been a relatively short and easy process. Her stepmother had the foresight to buy dresses slightly larger than the girls themselves, meaning that only slight adjustments needed to be made.

It was almost a pity about the colors though. The sickening green and almost offensive pink weren’t something she could do anything about, not that she would have even if she could. Apparently, the colors were ‘perfect!’ for the occasion. Of course, even if she cared to voice her opinion, she would have said otherwise. But she kept it to herself and reaffirmed their need to feel beautiful. Even if she told them the truth in an attempt to help them, saying such things would more than likely lead to her stepmother rescinding her earlier decision. It was especially foolish, seeing as her stepsisters had already accepted the fact that she would more than likely be joining them.

After all, she had opted to wash and refit their dresses the day before so that they would be ready long before they would need to prepare for the ball. When they had complained, she had patiently reasoned that the sooner they were dressed and ready to attend the special event, the more time they would have to woo the Prince. As soon as the words had left her mouth, they had demanded that she start on their dresses right then and there.

Of course, the Zora was running ragged and would be for quite some time. She figured that, even with the fitting taking significantly less time than she had thought, she would have to push herself harder than normal, and likely stay up far later than she should to finish on time. Considering the circumstances, she was willing to do whatever it took to finish everything on time.

“There,” she said, placing the last pin before stepping back to double-check her work. “That should do.” Thankfully, they had long since taken her lack of compliments as a lack of understanding proper fashion. As such, she doubted that they would take her attempts to compliment their appearance as anything more than idle flattery, which is all it would have amounted to anyway. Though it did surprise her a bit that they still didn’t try to fish for more affirmations from her. After all, they seemed to thrive on being buttered up, from what she had witnessed. It was rather sad, in her opinion, but not much about them wasn’t, unfortunately. 

It was why she couldn’t bring herself to truly hate them.

“I look stunning,” the girl breathed. “I almost feel bad that you don’t have a dress this beautiful for yourself.”

“Oh, don’t bother,” the older one replied, sounding almost disinterested. “We both know that there isn’t a dress pretty enough to fix… that.”

Mipha let the comment bounce off her shoulder, choosing instead to consider which of her three sashes she should wear. She had a particular fondness for the blue one, and Midna had complimented her visage while wearing it; however, she had yet to try the yellow or the red. There was a chance that one of them would look better than the others and she did want to look her best. 

Thinking about such things kept her far too distracted to worry about petty squabbles.

Helping her younger stepsister remove the dress, Mipha gathered up both outfits and left the dressing room behind. The entire time, she could hear her sisters making comments about how pretty they looked and trying to convince the other that they would be the one to catch the Prince’s eyes. The Zora was far too occupied to pay them any mind though. She sincerely wished that Hylians would find them alluring. Well, any Hylians except one in particular.

Hauling the decidedly cumbersome outfits to her room, the Zora was careful to lay them out so as not to damage them or crease them in any way. They were relatively new and still close to pristine in condition. So long as she was mindful while handling them, it would take minimal effort to clean them after she made the necessary adjustments. Once she was certain they were safe, she left her room to begin preparing for supper. There was still so much to do, however, she held the image of the ball in her mind. It reinvigorated her whenever she grew tired or grew weary of her stepsisters’ antics.

Oddly enough, her stepmother had been self-sufficient so far that day. Mipha had assumed that she would have been especially needy in an effort to set her back but the woman surprised her by taking care of most of her own needs herself. It was strange, to say the least yet the Zora wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. She would be grateful for whatever small blessings came her way, as each brought her one step closer to the end result she desired.

Moving deftly through the kitchen, she collected the necessary ingredients and began preparing them, chopping vegetables, slicing and seasoning meat, and starting a pot of boiling water. Her years of work showed themselves as she maintained a clean cooking space, making efficient use of time to make the inevitable clean-up much easier.

As she dumped the vegetables in the pot, she looked up, making mental notes of what chores she’d had to put off in order to help her stepsisters. Thinking over what was left to do, she realized that she would still be cleaning long into the night. Though it would eat away at her sleep, she didn’t mind. If played her cards right, she would be able to do the cleaning once, rather than having to rush through it the next day. And maybe, just maybe, her stepmother would be forgiving, just this once. Assuming she even noticed.

Sometimes, it seemed like she didn’t notice what Mipha did so long as the Zora appeared busy. Of course, that was assuming she wasn’t in a mood. Then, no matter what Mipha did, nothing was right.

Still, she would do everything right to the best of her ability. She would not have it be said that she had taken advantage of her stepfamily in any way. Perhaps it was a foolish sentiment, but when the time came, she wanted to be able to say that she had survived with her own strength and not by sinking to their level.

And so, the Zora girl continued on with her chores, determined to do whatever it took to make it to the ball, even if it meant losing a few hours of sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

“I don’t understand how you can do this all day every day,” Midna growled as she scrubbed the floor of the entrance hall. Of course, Mipha wasn’t there to offer some sort of platitude on why it was okay, or trying to convince her that she shouldn’t worry and simply get some rest. The Zora girl, though often making small jabs whenever the imp complained about boredom, never asked for her help. She would thank Midna when the Twili did offer her help; however, Mipha had never once expressed any sort of resentment toward her for choosing not to help. Granted, while the imp didn’t particularly care for cleaning,it was more an issue of survival. Castle Town was one of the few cities that had priests and priestesses trained in “holy magics” as they liked to call them. Those with such aptitudes would be able to sense her magic in use, especially if she were to attempt some of the larger stunts she was capable of. Honestly, it was amazing to her that she had escaped notice for all of these years. Perhaps the old coots had grown comfortable that they would be able to track down any “unholy beings.”

As such, Midna had gotten used to hiding for most of the day. Mipha’s pitiful excuse for a family had a bad habit of wandering around, sometimes almost as silent as the imp herself.

Regardless, Mipha had never expressed any resentment toward her for choosing to not offer her help with daily chores. Instead, the Zora was convinced that Midna’s presence was a blessing in itself, something that had helped Mipha maintain her sanity over the years. The imp thought the sentiment was rather ridiculous but she owed the Zora her life, especially since harboring her could have brought even more trouble on her.

Plus, it was kind of nice to feel wanted. It was still an odd experience to her, even years after befriending Mipha.

The imp groaned as she looked up, seeing how much she had finished thus far and how much further was left to go. Having only scrubbed a small section of floor, Midna was becoming increasingly aware of how little she was accomplishing. With a frown, she tuned her ears carefully, listening for any signs of life. Mipha was in her room, fixing up her stepsister’s dresses, and the other women in the household had long since gone to bed. They were rather heavy sleepers, so perhaps…

Well, it couldn’t hurt to use a bit of her power. The manor was large and relatively isolated, so she doubted she would draw the attention of mages if she were to use just a bit of her magic. Besides, she had a few other tricks up her sleeve besides just Twili magic. Such a simple spell could even be used by Hylians if they had the care and discipline to learn it. And, if it came to the worst possible scenario, she could hide herself and the rags in the shadows without too much trouble.

Hopefully.

Having made up her mind, the imp floated upwards and snapped her fingers sharply. Several rags flew out of a nearby closet, lining up in the air before dunking themselves into the warm, soapy water one at a time. Then, after wringing themselves out, each chose a section of floor and began the long process of cleaning. 

Tilting her head, Midna listened carefully for any signs of movement as she absently watched her magic work. Thankfully, there wasn’t a sound to be heard, other than the obnoxious snoring of a spoiled brat.

In a few minutes, the floors were done; however, there was still quite a lot that needed to be done so the Zora would be ahead for the coming day.

“You’re a lotta work,” Midna grumbled ruefully as she floated into the next room, bringing her mindless minions with her. Though she wasn’t sure how much she believed in this Link character or his promise that Mipha clung to,she sincerely hoped it was true. If anyone deserved to be happy, it was Mipha.

Mipha, who had nursed her back to health despite the superstitions surrounding the Twili. Mipha, who had been nothing but a friend to her and asked for very little in return. Mipha, who despite years of hardship from an ungrateful stepfamily, was still the kindest soul that Midna could find.

If anyone deserved a chance at happiness, it was the Zora girl who was slaving away in the attic just for a chance at something better. And, if Midna was right, there was a chance that Mipha’s stepmother was thinking of selling her off. The woman had very little financial sense (in the imp’s experienced opinion) and had likely gotten herself into a bind. The hag had been a bit less moody today but, if her daughters failed to catch the Prince’s attention (as they inevitably would), then the Zora girl was in quite a bit of danger. The sooner she was out of the manor, the sooner Midna could rest easy again.

So, the imp set aside her own doubts and got back to work. She still needed to see about fixing up the blue sash (there was no way she was letting her friend wear the red or yellow), and something had to be done about the tiara as well. The first time Mipha had shown her the ornate piece of jewelry, she had explained that her stepmother had carted off the rest to help the family’s finances. Of course, neither she nor the Zora had bought such a comment. Both had seen enough of the sisters’ walk-in closets to know that they had more gaudy dresses than any sane person needed.

Honestly, how anyone could carry on as they had was beyond her. Midna would be the first to admit that she wasn’t the most morally righteous person but even she couldn’t imagine treating another in the same way Mipha’s family treated her.

Unfortunately, there was little that the imp could do other than try to help the Zora remember to smile and help out here and there. Well, that and tracking an item or two down but Mipha didn’t need to know about that just yet. As excited as she was to show her friend what she had managed to find, it would only serve to distract her when focus was imperative.

With magic at her disposal, it wasn’t long before the ground floor was sparkling. Saving a few of the cleaner rags, the imp disposed of the rest, not even trying to hide the number of used cloths. The odds that anyone other than Mipha would notice were less than none. Stretching thoughtfully, she considered what should come next. From what she remembered of the daily duties, laundry would be next…

Great. Her absolute favorite. 

With a sigh, the imp reminded herself that it was all for her friend. Diving into the shadows, Midna made her way to the second floor and slipped underneath the first bedroom door she came across. Grimacing as her ears were assaulted by the unfiltered snoring of the youngest stepsister, the Twili made her way silently across the room, snatching up every piece of discarded clothing and drew them into the shadows. Once she had picked up every used garment, she left the bedroom and made her way into the next. Thankfully, the snoring didn’t reverberate around in her skull as it had before, but it was still one of the most irritating sounds she’d ever been subjected to. Luckily, it was a simple matter to see to her intent.

It was in the stepmother’s room that the imp paused. Something about the room set her ill at ease. The dark purples and blacks certainly didn’t help but it was something more. It was almost as though the air itself was putrid, a symptom of someone truly rotten. It was enough to make her shudder but she continued on, undeterred. 

Collecting the last bit of the family’s laundry, Midna returned downstairs with her load in tow. From there, she made her way to the well in the backyard, where she would proceed to growl out quiet curses as she scrubbed each scrap of clothing clean. Normally, Mipha would have tended to the laundry inside, but she didn’t have the advantage of being able to make items float. Midna did, making ample use of her power as she hung each garment immediately after washing it.

Though it was an aggravatingly slow process as far as Midna was concerned, in reality, it was a rather short process. Once every piece of clothing had been hung, she used her abilities to dry them quickly, then removed them, folded them, and placed them in a nearby basket.

Once finished, the imp leaned back, sighing as it occurred to her how tired she was. While the magic she was using wasn’t grand, it still drained her, especially using it as inefficiently as she was. While the lady of the house and her daughters wouldn’t notice some of the minor imperfections that a more efficient use would create, Mipha would and the Zora would be compelled to fix them.

With a sigh, Midna hauled the laundry inside.

“Midna?”

“Oh, hey,” the imp replied casually as she smirked at the surprised Zora. “Saw you falling a bit behind, so I thought I’d lend a hand.”

“You -”

“Didn’t have to.’ ‘You’re so incredible.’ ‘I’m indebted to you for life.’ I know, I know,” Midna interrupted, feigning mockery. 

“Thank you,” Mipha replied, relief easing the exhaustion written across her face.

“How’re the dresses coming?” 

“Done.” The Zora set a hand on her head as she let out a tired sigh. “But -”

“What still needs to get done?”

“Let’s see…”

* * *

The few hours that Mipha managed to steal for sleep weren’t quite enough to rejuvenate her, but they would simply have to do. She was far from ungrateful, as they were more than she had expected to get; however, Midna was full of surprises, as ever. It should have been obvious when she had disappeared earlier that evening but it had still come as a shock, especially when she had admitted to using magic. Mipha was well-aware that the imp was a bit paranoid when it came to using her powers, even if it wasn’t Twili in nature. The Zora would have never even considered asking her friend to use it for her sake, but she was so incredibly grateful that she had. There had been a stretch of time the night prior in which she wasn’t sure she would be able to finish everything required of her.

But, that had all changed when she had descended the stairs to find the floors almost perfectly clean and the laundry done, even that of her stepfamily’s.

It had been enough to move her to tears, though they had been silent and she had worked through them.

Ignoring the lamentations of her overworked body, the Zora climbed out of her stiff bed and prepared herself for the big day.

Careful to not let her thoughts wander too much, Mipha hurried down to the ground floor. It wouldn’t do to let all of Midna’s hard work go to waste because the Zora couldn’t stop focusing on her fantasies long enough to make everything worth it. The poor imp had expressed so much faith in her that she had exhausted herself for Mipha’s sake. It would be an awful thing for her to slack off now and not make it to the ball.

So, Mipha shoved whatever fantasies tried to take her mind and focused solely on the tasks at hand.

Feeding the hens, sweeping the porch, preparing breakfast, spot-mopping the floors, and putting away the folded laundry.

Thank the Goddess, her chores had gone so much quicker than she had anticipated. The Zora had even found time to eat, though that was largely due to an exhausted Midna harping on her until she complied. It wasn’t until it came time to help style her sister’s hair that she started to slow down. Not having hair herself and never having any sort of training, Mipha had only ever developed into a passable stylist. Her stepmother had decided that it was unacceptable for such an important event and had decided to summon one of the greatest stylists in the city. 

And her stepfamily had made it quite clear that her slimy hands were unwelcome. Though she had bristled at that, however, it was only for a moment. Getting upset over such an ignorant and childish comment was a waste of time and energy. And she wanted to devote all of her energies to the coming evening. It had been a while since she had danced and she had a feeling she would be dancing in front of a number of prying eyes.

It was like something out of a nightmare but it would be quite worth it.

With the extra time, Mipha retreated to the kitchen to throw together a light snack for the women. Her stepsisters had somehow reached the conclusion that eating very little the night before and that morning would help them slim down and help to highlight their curves. The Zora was not so naive and knew that the evening would go quite poorly for them if they opted to not eat. 

Doing something kind for them wasn’t something that bothered her, considering that she would like to see them at least somewhat happy. And, she was in quite a good mood to boot.

Once the appetizer was prepared, Mipha placed them on the manor’s finest trays and brought them to her stepfamily. Her stepsisters didn’t express much in the way of gratitude but they were quick to start shoving food into their mouths. Thankfully, tight buns were considered to be in style, so the girls hadn’t needed to put their dresses on before having their hair done. Unless they moved across the room to eat over their dresses, the ridiculous fabrics would not suffer from stray crumbs or messy fingers.

Her stepmother, on the other hand, had merely raised a brow when Mipha brought the second tray to her. “What’s this?”

“I noticed that my sisters have eaten very little since yesterday,” Mipha replied demurely. “I thought they might appreciate something light to carry them until tonight.”

“How very kind.” As always, something was off in her tone. How the woman could make such a statement sound like an insult rather than a compliment was beyond comprehension but the Zora said nothing about it. “You may leave it here. I… hope that you have kept up with your chores.”

“I have.”

“Good. And you have an outfit?”

“I’m still putting one together,” Mipha answered as she set the tray down on the woman’s vanity. “Even to events such as these, we Zora wear little in terms of clothing.” Which she would have known had she ever bothered to take her stepdaughter anywhere rather than simply leaving her behind at any given opportunity. Or perhaps if she paid any Zora ever any mind.

“Quite so. I suggest you hurry. It wouldn’t do to be late.”

“Yes, madam,” Mipha replied with a small bow before leaving the room. She shuddered only after she had closed the door securely behind her. 

Running over her mental checklist, the Zora realized that there were only a few things left to do, and, judging by the light outside, she would have just enough time. Hopefully, her small act of kindness wouldn’t come back to bite her later.

Making her way quickly to the kitchen, she nearly broke what dishes there were in her haste to clean them before flying on to finish a bit of sweeping and dusting.

When she was finally satisfied, she rushed upstairs. Even though she still had time left, it would be nice to be able to do more than simply throw her apparel on. When was the last time that she had gotten to dress up? If there had been a time, it had long since faded from memory. The prospect of looking her best was rather exciting. While she wouldn’t consider herself prone to vanity, she did find that her usual attire wasn’t exactly flattering. It wasn’t usually a bother, but…

Upon stepping into her room, she found Midna waiting for her, lounging on the cot idly. “I was beginning to wonder if you were gonna make it.”

“I did, and it was all thanks to you.”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t waste the sappy stuff on me,” the imp replied as she waved off Mipha’s gratitude. “Go on.”

Mipha knelt at her bedside, reaching down into the nook and searching for her outfit when her hand stumbled across unfamiliar bands of metal. Grasping them, she pulled them out, eyes widening as she recognized the bracelets she held.

"These are…"

"Yep," Midna replied. "They were a pain to track down but… well, I suppose we can call it even now."

"Midna, you -"

"And I know what you're gonna say, ‘you shouldn't steal!’ I didn't," she said proudly. "I scrounged up whatever rupees I could find and left them for the ‘owners.’” The imp sighed, folding her arms with a frown. "I was going to try and find the necklace too, but nobody has seen it for years. Apparently it… well, it doesn't matter now."

"Thank you…" Mipha had no other words as tears welled up. She tried to form words to express her gratitude but it was impossible to form words around the lump in her throat. So, she threw her arms around the imp. Midna, who hadn’t been expecting such a display, went rigid for a moment before relaxing. The Twili did her best to return the embrace, her diminutive hand patting Mipha’s side comfortingly.

"Look, we don't have a lot of time. Let's get you dressed."

* * *

"Wait!" Mipha called, not caring when she heard the desperation in her voice. "I've finished all my chores and was able to find a suitable outfit!" 

Her stepmother eyed her with a mix of disdain and amusement.

"I know it's a bit different than Hylian attire but…" but it was one of the first times in a long time that she actually felt beautiful. Like she was finally the princess she had always imagined herself to be. It had taken her longer than she had anticipated, seeing as her friend had deemed it appropriate to make a few adjustments to her sash before giving the Zora her approval. It also hadn’t helped that she had opted to bring her tiara; however, she was so paranoid about her stepfamily’s reaction that she had chosen to fold it into her sash. Midna, the sweet imp that she was, had helped to keep the bangles steady and had ensured that it wouldn’t fall or sustain any damage during the trip to the castle.

Yes, once she donned that, her ensemble would be complete.

"...Oh, didn't you hear?" Mipha fought to keep her heart from sinking as her stepmother’s face twisted into a cruel smirk. "I thought you might be too busy with your work to actually attend; however it seems that you exhausted yourself. How pitiable.” The woman turned away as her daughters started snickering. “I hate to be the one to tell you, but the King forbade those of more… exotic heritage. I’m afraid you wouldn’t even make it past the front gates."

By the sounds of it, the only lie she had told was that she hated to be the one to break it to Mipha. Besides, she had even gone to the trouble of asking if the Zora was keeping up as though banking on her finding the drive to meet her requirements. The woman had planned this from the start.

"Oh…" Mipha used every ounce of her strength to hold herself up, even as her heart shattered. "I hope you all have a wonderful evening." Her stepfamily, the vultures that they were, heard the brokenness in her voice. Thankfully, they had waited until the last minute, until she was ready, to take the last bit of her hope from her. Now, all they could do was laugh and make a few snide comments as they stepped out into the cool night air.

How could someone be so cruel? To see hope and excitement in someone, to allow them to entertain it, then smirk with pleasure as they took those hopes away. What had to happen to make a person so?

Mipha watched, overcome by numbness as she watched them enter the carriage and begin their journey to the castle. Once they were out of sight, the Zora descended the stairs slowly, nearly stumbling a few times. Struggling tooth and nail to keep herself together, she made her way toward the fountain sitting behind the house.

She might have assumed that she would be devastated by what had just happened. Nothing that had happened to her over the past few years had been so harsh and vindictive as this and she had suffered through much. Though she often tried to give her stepfamily grace, even she could no longer deny that they were truly abhorrent people. Still, as she wandered out into the yard, she couldn’t help but wonder how she was keeping it together so well. 

It wasn’t until she saw her own reflection in the fountain’s pristine waters that she understood. In it, she saw Midna floating beside her silently, for once having nothing to say. What drew her attention though were the tears that streamed down her face.

Without warning, the weight of it all slammed down on her shoulders, bringing her to her knees. The Zora girl clung to the fountain, quiet sobs wracking her body as she realized how little hope there was. Her childhood friend, the one that had made the loss of her father and the ensuing hardships bearable, had long since disappeared behind the castle walls. She had allowed herself to hope that he might keep his promise to one day take her hand and bring her away from her stepfamily. Her hoped had been rekindled when she’d heard that a ball was being thrown specifically so he might find a suitable bride.

She had allowed herself to believe there was a chance and had clung to that belief for years.

And, with a few dismissive words, that hope had been taken from her. Even if she had made it to the gates of the castle, there was no way she could even make it inside. Her sashes and jewelry would ensure she wouldn’t even pass as a servant.

And so Mipha found herself clinging to the fountain that she and her father had spent so much time at, with only her despairing wails to fill the silence.

Not even the small hand on her shoulder could comfort her.

What had she done to deserve such cruelty? Surely, being born a Zora couldn’t be such a horrendous offense.

Mipha, awash in a pool of tears as she was, didn’t notice as orbs of light began appearing around her.

“Mipha?”

The Zora ignored the sound of her name. All she wanted, all she silently asked, was that she be left alone to wallow for a while. Soon enough, her stepfamily would return and life would continue on as it had for years. Well… not quite the same.

“Mipha?!”

“Midna, ple -”

“Look!”

Swallowing her reply, the Zora obeyed. Her eyes widened as around her, she saw hundreds of tiny orbs, each bearing its own tiny pair of wings. Each fairy made its way toward the fountain, where they gathered overhead. Mipha watched, dumbstruck as they melded together, their combined light becoming almost overwhelming to gaze at. Just as she thought she may have to look away for fear of losing her sight, the fairies sunk together, becoming a single ball of otherworldly light. A motherly laugh rang out as arms and legs extended forth from the light. The appendages continued spinning along with the orb as it stretched out before losing its shape to a humanoid body. The light faded, leaving in its wake a larger-than-life woman, with bright pink hair and thin vines covering her body.

The woman came to rest, leaning down and holding her head up with a single hand. Her smile was enough to warm Mipha’s heart despite everything that had happened. “Hello, dear Mipha. And Midna… it’s always a pleasure.”

“Who’re you?”

“Ah, I suppose you have never seen me like this. Remember the stray fairy you rescued not long after you came to the city?”

“That was you?” the imp asked disbelievingly.

“That was a small part of me but, without that piece of me, I would never have been able to assume my true form again. I’m sorry I was never able to thank you properly until today.”

“Uh… sure, no problem.”

“If memory serves, you nearly died. I wouldn’t say that wasn’t a problem. Which brings us to you,” she said as she turned her attention back to Mipha. “Thank you, for helping my friend.”

“I’m not sure I understand… but you are welcome,” Mipha replied as she tried to make sense of it all. Considering how she had appeared and what she had said to Midna, the Zora could only surmise that the being above her could only be a Great Fairy. But that couldn’t be. They were only fairy tales told to help children go to sleep at night. Despite the existence of fairies in the real world, there had never been recorded evidence of Great Fairies except in epics and folk tales.

But there was nothing else that made sense.

“I see you are confused,” she said. “I am the Great Fairy Cotera.”

“Cotera?”

“Yes!” The Great Fairy was surprisingly thrilled by the simple act of repeating her name.

Mipha blinked dumbly, still unsure of what to make of anything she was seeing. “I… I’m sorry, I must be-”

Cotera grinned cheekily as she reached down and pinched Mipha’s cheek, amazingly gentle despite her towering physique. It didn’t keep Mipha from grimacing at the unexpected discomfort. “See? You’re not dreaming my dear. I am as real as anything you have ever known.” All signs of humor faded as she sized the Zora up. “I know you must have many questions Mipha but I’m afraid we have little time. We must get started immediately if we are to get you to the ball in time.”

“The ball?” The sorrow that Mipha had experienced welled back up all at once, causing her eyes to sting. Even with a Great Fairy’s help, there was no way the Zora could see herself being able to attend the ball. “I appreciate the sentiment, but-”

“No buts dear, I have a debt to repay.”

“But-”

“No buts,” Cotera repeated sternly. Her austerity faded behind a thoughtful smile. “Red and white do seem to be your colors. Maybe… Yes, that’s it!” Reaching down, the Great Fairy set her index finger on the crest of Mipha’s head. Warmth enveloped the Zora, washing over her in a soothing tide. She heard Midna gasp from somewhere off to her side; however, she was too distracted to pay it much mind. After a few seconds, the feelings faded away as Cotera withdrew her finger. “Hmm. It’s not quite what I was hoping for but I suppose it will have to do.”

Curious as to what she meant, Mipha looked down, only to find herself unchanged. 

“Your reflection, dear.”

Looking into the water’s surface, the Zora could understand what had led to Midna’s reaction. Staring back up at her was an incredibly pale Hylian girl with scarlet hair framing her soft face and amber eyes. Covering her was a fine scarlet dress with white, wave-like designs covering the sleeves and skirt. Despite her change in appearance, her sash was still visible, as were her bracelets. Reaching up, Mipha drew her fingers down her temple fin, watching in wonder as her Hylian reflection drew her fingers through her scarlet bangs. “This is…”

“Now, I believe you have one more piece to add?” Cotera asked, ignoring the only partially formed sentence.

Without a word, Midna swooped in, removed the tiara from where it had been stashed, and placed it on Mipha’s head, taking a moment to straighten it out.

The tiara gleamed beautifully. Though Mipha did agree that it helped to complete the outfit, she wished that she could see it on her true self, not a poor imitation. But, it would have to wait for another time.

“There we are.” Cotera tapped her chin with a finger. “One last thing.” The Great Fairy clapped, summoning a few pink fairies to her side. “My friends here will help restore you.” The fairies in question flew down, spiraling around both the Zora and the Twili. As they swirled around her with their sparkling forms, Mipha could feel her aches and pains receding with new energy coursing through her, refreshing the Zora.

“Whoah,” Midna breathed as she stared down at her hands, clenching them into tiny fists.

“Now, I have an idea of how much this night means to you my dear but there is something you must know. The spell will only last until midnight when the final bell tolls. After that, the spell will end and you will once again appear as you truly are.” The Great Fairy lowered herself, all traces of mirth gone from her face. “Do you understand me, dear? You have only until the bell tolls.”

“Thank you.” What she had done to deserve such intervention was beyond her. Yes, she had worked so hard to have her chance, but she wouldn’t deny that it had been more for herself than anything else. The Zora took a few deep breaths, trying with all her might to keep from breaking down again. Though her hope had been more than just rekindled, her heart was nearing the limit of emotional turmoil it could handle. “Thank you,” she repeated, managing to regain her composure as a large smile danced across her face.

“You are most welcome, Mipha. I pray that the kindness you have shown to so many will never fade.” With a laugh, the Great Fairy exploded in a flash of light, sending the fairies that joined to create her soaring out and away from the fountain.

“Well, that’s one way to say goodbye,” Midna grumbled. She shook herself, centering her attention on Mipha. “Ready to go?”

“Yes!” Once again, reality came crashing down on Mipha. “How will we make it?” She had no money to hire a carriage and, while living in the aristocratic district, the manor was still a fair distance from the castle. Even if she were to pick up the pace, she would still have to find her way to the ballroom and then have to wait for her turn to present herself before the royal family. Then, and only then, would she possibly have a chance to speak to Link on her own. And that was assuming that she would even be able to win his attention with her current appearance. Of course, there was still a chance; however…

“Leave that to me,” Midna answered with a perturbed frown on her face. “You may want to close your eyes.”

  
  



	4. Chapter 4

Despite the sensation of weightlessness and the feeling of being rushed along, Mipha kept her eyes firmly shut. Midna rarely gave warning, much preferring the natural reactions of an individual. If she had given a warning, then Mipha would consider herself a fool to not heed her friend. The sensations only lasted a few seconds before it all came to an end. Even so, the Zora kept her eyes firmly shut.

“You can… you can open them.”

It wasn’t Midna’s assurance that she could open her eyes so much as the exhaustion that was heard in the imp’s voice that forced Mipah’s eyes open. “Midna?! What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing,” she panted as she wobbled in the air, almost grabbing onto a nearby wall for support. “Don’t… worry about me. Get going.”

“But-”

“You heard Cotera. No buts.” Midna had steadied herself enough to assume a commanding tone. “Now you need to get as far away from here as you can.”

“… You used Twili magic, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, and pretty powerful stuff too. Won’t be long before someone comes to investigate, especially this close to the castle. You need to go now.”

Mipha opened her mouth to speak; however, Midna cut her off before she even had the chance to say a word.

“I know, I know “you’re so powerful and smart” and “you’re the greatest friend ever.” I get it. You can thank me by getting us one of those snazzy rooms in the palace, yeah?” 

“… Thank you. For everything.”

“Oh for the love of -” The Twili groaned as she dragged her hand down her face. “You’re actually impossible, you know that? Even on a time limit, you just have to stop and be sweet. It’s nauseating.” With a sigh, she said, “you’re welcome. Happy?”

“More than I could ever tell you.”

“Then get going!” Midna lunged forward, pushing Mipha out of the alley she had brought them to. “I don’t know how long I’ll have to lay low for, so if something goes wrong, you’ll have to find your own way back, okay?”

“I understand. You have already done more than enough.”

“I’m gonna be sick.”

“Sorry…”

“Go!”

Knowing that to stay would not only put her friend in danger but render everything that had been done for her useless, Mipha smiled and wished her friend well before fleeing the alley. Taking a moment to gather her bearings, the Zora finally noticed just how close to the castle the imp had taken them. The drawbridge, which separated the massive structure from the rest of the city, sat no further away than the gates that barred entrance to her stepfamily’s manor. Such a short walk would take no more than a few minutes at worst if she chose to dally. Considering how much time she had already invested in trying to express gratitude, she was in no mood to waste what little was left.

Making good on her decision, Mipha ran as quickly as she could, holding the bangles of her tiara in place. Having never worn it before, she wasn’t sure how much punishment it could take. From what she understood, her people had mastered the art of working light-weight, durable metals, but that didn’t mean that her jewelry was as durable as a sword or shield. 

Across the drawbridge and up the stairs that led into what must have been the entrance hall. The Zora stopped a moment, taking in the grand arches, red banners, and beautiful tapestries. Whoever had designed the place had been a genius. If only she had more time to absorb it all.

“Miss?” Mipha’s heart stopped as she turned around, finding a guard approaching her. Breathing became an impossible task as she prepared herself to be thrown out before she had even laid eyes on the prince. “The ballroom is that way.”

“O-oh…” Her chest loosened up, allowing her to breathe once again as she looked in the direction the guard was pointing. Turning toward the hall, Mipha resumed her hurrying, only to stop as she remembered her manners. “Thank you. You are most kind.”

The knight straightened slightly and cleared his throat. “You’re welcome.”

Though she was more secure in her situation, Mipha didn’t allow herself to rest on her laurels. The current time eluded her, and she still had yet to find Link and find a way to gain his attention. Her anxiety remained, pushing her to continue through the halls quickly. Thankfully, guards had been posted across the castle, pointing the way to the ballroom and at least easing the worry that she might lose her way. 

Finally, after what had felt like hours, Mipha stepped out onto a dais resting high above the ballroom floor. Below her, multitudes of guests stood in a colorful array of fine dresses with few deep blues, dark reds, forest greens, yellows, and the like. At the other end of the room, King Rhoam sat on a throne while his two children stood a few steps below, greeting the young suitors brought before them one at a time. The Zora, taking a moment to consider how best to proceed, did her best attempt at a curtsy (really, Zora legs had not been made for such a strange stance). From what she could tell, there was something akin to a line to see the Prince, though she noticed a number of women struggling to make their way to the front. Perhaps, if she did her best to be subtle, she might be able to slip closer. Ordinarily, she would be against such tactics though she was willing to make an exception this once. This was far from an ordinary situation and she didn’t have the same luxury the other women in the room had.

She would simply have to ask forgiveness later.

Rising, the Zora once again froze as she noticed that she had become the center of attention for a number of nearby eyes. Her gaze rising further, she came to understand what had drawn their attention. Somehow, Link had noticed her and was now completely ignoring the poor girl in front of him, who was nearly throwing herself at him. Passing the girl by, the crowd parted to let him pass as he made his way toward the center of the room, where he stopped. There he stood patiently, simply holding a hand out to her. The crowd, shocked by this display, made no attempt to intervene.

Mipha took a slow, agonizing step, praying that whatever deity was watching over her wouldn’t allow her numb legs to fail her. Unsure of how she managed it, Mipha reached the bottom of the curved stairs. She wasn’t sure she was even still breathing as she willed herself forward. When she had finally drawn near, she reached out and took his hand, accepting his invitation.

Pulling her in, Link set a hand on her hip, eliciting a quiet gasp from Mipha. Not only was the feeling unexpected (though not unwelcome) but it suddenly occurred to her that she had no idea whether he would feel her scales and fins. Oddly enough, his face showed no signs that he noticed anything amiss. “Ready?”

“Yes,” she breathed, her panic once again forgotten.

The musicians played the first few notes of a slow tune as the Prince began leading the Zora through a dance. Mipha hadn’t danced in years, not really having time after her father’s passing. She could vaguely recall her father hiring a tutor for her in her younger years and Link, ever eager to share his knowledge with her, had done his best to teach her a few dances himself. As such, after the first few clumsy steps, her mind caught up, helping her to follow along with her partner. Thankfully, Link was quite accommodating, applying small pressure to her hip to silently tell her when to move, as well as telegraphing his movements a moment before he made them. With his silent understanding and assurance, the Zora was able to fall in step with more confidence than she began.

After their first, few swaying steps back and forth, the Prince’s hand left her side, his arm rising to the side with the languid grace of flowing water. As it rose, the back of his hand caught her wrist, raising her arm as well. With every step, his hand would rise and fall, gently guiding hers along with it. Knowing what was coming, Mipha was prepared when his hand rose faster than the established rhythm, guiding her into a spin. Her hand twisted with her, allowing Link’s hand to lightly run his hand down along the outside her arm, following it down to her upper back and returning to her hip just as she came back to face him.

Mipha stepped back, allowing Link to take hold of her outstretched hand and guide her into a wide, sweeping circle. A large, toothy smile broke free of her as he pulled her back in, a small smile of his own pulling at the corners of his mouth. Even though they were surrounded by what might have been hundreds of onlookers, Mipha couldn’t see a single one. She had forgotten about her stepfamily, the ball, the spell shrouding her true form, and nearly everything else that had come to pass. So far as she was aware, only she and Link existed at that moment.

Oh, how she had spent many nights dreaming of such a time as this.

Her smile never faltered, even when Link drew her in close, taking one of her hands in his and placing the other on her upper back. If she were thinking a little more clearly, she might have wondered if he was experiencing the same things she was, for she could only see herself in his eyes. However, the Zora was incapable of forming such thoughts as she lived out a dearly held fantasy.

The bliss she was experiencing was enough that she didn’t even bat an eye when Link placed both hands on her hips. With ease, he lifted her just slightly and rotated her around. Mipha laughed joyfully as she remembered the first time he had attempted that in their youth. He hadn’t even managed to get her off the ground. Now, he swept her off her feet without even a grunt.

However, the Prince wasn’t done yet, the first rotation being only a precursor. A few steps later, he lifted her again, this time raising her above his head as he spun around completely before lowering her slowly as the music drew to an almost solemn end.

Despite the song having ended, they stayed where they were, catching their breath as they continued peering into each other’s eyes.

As fate would have it, the spell was broken far too soon as the crowd she had forgotten about began clamoring around them. Several couples made their way onto the floor, ready to dance themselves as the musicians readied themselves for another song.

With the barest movement of his head, the Prince motioned for Mipha to follow him. 

Guiding her away from the other couples, Link led her through a side door and out of the ballroom entirely.

The two made their down a deserted corridor, almost making her giggle as it reminded her of the days when they would sneak through the back alleys of the city. “Where are we going?” the laugh in her voice made him look back with a smile. 

However, the smile was quick to fade.

* * *

The Prince had silently led her to a small garden sitting just behind the castle. A beautiful array of flowers, ferns, shrubs, and even a few exotic plants were all growing in strong and healthy with a pleasant mix of bright colors and deep greens and reds to even it all out. Benches sat throughout the garden, next to a variety of taller plants that were likely intended to provide shade, and there was even a large swing hanging unoccupied in the center. Link had once told her of how he and his sister would sit with their mother in a garden within the castle and listen as their mother told them fairy tales. Perhaps this was that same garden.

Unfortunately, it was difficult for the Zora to focus on such pleasant thoughts.

Link’s quiet was rather unsettling to Mipha, causing her to clasp her hands nervously in front of her. She wasn’t used to seeing him like this, though she had seen signs of it immediately before he had disappeared behind the castle walls. Though she had never forgotten the anger and stress she had seen, she held memories of the happy, adventurous youth that never backed down from any challenge. She remembered having to talk him out of eating rocks because a Goron was trying to goad him into it. Granted, the Goron hadn’t heckled him after Link had ultimately refused but Mipha had still been displeased when that it had happened. This new side of him was something that she was entirely unprepared for and she wasn’t sure how to handle it. Was she supposed to speak first? Was he trying to gather his thoughts so he could tell her something? Did he even know who she was? 

Though she had tried to take some time to consider all the possible ways the enchantment could go wrong, she was perfectly aware that her knowledge regarding magic was lacking. She didn’t know who could see through the spell, who could not, and what other effects there may be. He had spotted her from a distance but did that mean he knew who she was? Should she even tell him? Perhaps he had noticed the Zora-ba designs on her outfit and had remembered her fondly. Might that be all there was to it?

Did he even remember…?

“I must apologize,” the Prince murmured as he finally turned to face her. “I got caught up in the moment and forgot myself. I hope you can forgive me.”

“I’m sorry?” she said weakly, not following at all. What exactly was he apologizing for?

“…” Link turned away again, seeming to struggle with what he should say next. “In my youth I… I made a friend a promise.” Mipha’s heart started beating more rapidly. So he did remember. But, if that were the case, then why was he so sad and angry. “Though I am doing my best, I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep my promise. At least, not for several more years.”

“O-oh…” Mipha had felt her heart drop before but surely this was the lowest it had ever fallen. All the struggling she had done to make it, all of poor Midna’s efforts, even the efforts of the Great Fairy were all for naught. She thought she had felt her dream slipping away before but now it had all but disappeared, leaving only a whisper in its place. For once, the Zora almost understood why she had heard so many people talk about not getting one’s hopes up, to not waste time on dreams.

“I promised a Zora girl that I would marry her, but my father refuses to recognize that.” He looked at her sadly. “I’m worried that if he were to find out that she was still in the city, he would exile her, and I would spend the rest of my life unable to find her.” So that was it… he hadn’t forgotten but rather was trying to fulfill it while keeping her safe. Mipha silently set a hand on her heart as it ached.

“I’m sure you’ll find a way.” It was hard, trying to keep her voice steady through the torrent of emotions she was experiencing. About the only thing she was certain of was that Link didn’t recognize her, which certainly did not help.

“Should I?” he asked quietly.

Mipha’s mind went entirely blank at the question. “…What?”

“What I mean is do I even have the right? I made her a promise and disappeared for years.” Finally, the Prince looked at her again, guilt and shame evident on his face. “Do I even have the right to ask her to wait?”

“I-” _would wait forever_. As much as she wanted to finish that statement, she thought better of it. As much as she wanted to reveal her identity to him right then and there, it occurred to her that it might be too much for him to handle then. The Prince was obviously struggling with so much and it would only increase his burdens to tell him. To tell him would be to place the weight of her own expectation on him. As much as it hurt, as much as she had pinned on meeting him at the ball, she couldn’t do that to him. It was simply too selfish. “I’m certain that anyone would be willing to wait as long as it took but-” the lump had resumed it’s familiar place in her throat “if you think it would be best to let go of the past and try to move onto a new future, I am sure she would understand.” Her voice cracked as she spoke the last few words.

How had she managed the strength to speak those words, she would never know.

“A new future?” The Hylian Prince mulled her words over for a few moments with a frown. He almost seemed to consider it for a moment before shaking his head firmly. “No. I made a promise. Even if it takes a few more years, I’ll find a way.”

Mipha smiled warmly, reaching up to wipe her eyes as tears welled up in them. If nothing else, she would be walking away with a renewed sense of security in the promise. Though it was not as soon as she would have liked, she had already waited a number of years, she knew she could wait a few years longer. Straining for one last drop of courage, she opened her mouth. “Link, I-”

The sudden toll of a bell thrummed through the air, causing the Zora to freeze.

“What time…?”

“Midnight,” Link replied, watching her with concern.

“Oh no…” she breathed. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “This was a lovely evening and I wouldn’t trade it for anything but I have to go.”

The Prince was nonplussed as she nearly jumped to her feet and started rushing back the way they had come. “What’s-”

“I don’t have time to explain!” she called desperately over her shoulder as she rushed back the way they had come.

“Wait!”

Mipha wanted nothing more than to stop and go back but she couldn’t. Not when it would only cause him more suffering and hardship. If she was understanding what he had said correctly, then not only had he already taken on so many burdens for her sake, but had also made the choice to take on more all so he could keep his promise. Nobody should have ever been forced to make such difficult choices. So, she would do what little she could to ease that burden, even if it meant going back to the manor, where her stepfamily would be ever eager to remind her of her position in their house. Where she had fought tooth and nail to keep hope alive. Despite the struggles she knew would come of her own decision, she grew steadfast as she ran.

He had remembered and, whether or not he knew it, he had renewed in her hearing. That would be enough to sustain her for as long as it took. And if returning to the manor would alleviate his own burdens even a little, then that was more than enough for her.

With a renewed sense of urgency, Mipha picked up the pace as she heard someone running after her.

She could hear him calling out after her; however, the Zora did her best to ignore it. No matter how many times he called out, she couldn’t allow herself to be swayed. 

And Hylia forbid the spell fade in the middle of the castle.

The bell tolled again.

Mipha thought her heart might burst as she finally re-entered the castle. The wide halls were still very much like a maze to her and she had no idea how she would find her way through in time. 

Knowing that she had no time to be indecisive, the Zora chose the hall she thought Link had guided her down and ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

The bell tolled a third time.

Mipha was too concerned with trying to find her way out of the castle while staying ahead of Link to devote to how much it all hurt. How scared she was. She had to make it out and she would.

Even as the bell tolled a seventh time and she still hadn’t found the entrance, she remained steadfast. Rounding a corner as the eighth toll rang out, she finally found the entrance. Sprinting through the massive doorway, the Zora descended the stairs quickly and continued her rush toward the walls surrounding the castle.

Without warning, bells meant to sound the alarm rang out. 

_No!_ She watched, horrified as the drawbridge began to rise, cutting off her planned escape. She stopped for a moment thinking desperately; however, the sound of the ninth toll spurred her into action once again.

Just ahead of her, she caught sight of a rather imposing Gerudo Captain staring her down. With a single motion, the woman gestured toward an open door. Knowing that there was no other option, Mipha changed course and ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

Mipha, her strength beginning to fade, tripped and slammed into the knight. The scarlet-haired woman didn’t even stumble back, instead holding her steady before giving her a push onward. A second later, she thought she heard the Gerudo call out to her; however, it was drowned out by the tenth toll.

Mipha rushed through the open door, nearly tripping over the steep staircase leading upwards. Going up was far from what she had planned; however, it would be useless to turn back now. Ascending the stairs, Mipha’s vision started to blur as the eleventh toll rang out. Zoras were not made for running, especially long distances and she had been so exhausted from all the emotional turmoil before the mad dash had begun. To make it worse, terror started to seize her as she realized she only had a few precious moments left before the spell failed. Even as she reached the top of the stairs, she couldn’t help it as her mind considered all of the possible outcomes of being caught. Few were good. Most would result in only more suffering for herself and the Prince.

She crashed through a door with a yelp, finding herself atop the circular wall. Ahead of her, she saw a few knights rushing toward her and she heard the sound of pursuing footsteps from behind. Breathing quickly and more scared than she had ever been, the Zora stumbled toward the edge of the wall. Desperately looking for a way, any way out of her situation, she looked down to find the moat far below.

Relief coursed through her as she did the only thing she could think of.

The twelfth toll sounded as she fell toward the water, cutting through it smoothly a few seconds later. 

She dove down toward the bottom, floating just above the moat’s bed. The water’s embrace, though filthy, helped to soothe her utterly frayed nerves. As much as she wanted to simply float and reflect on everything that had happened that night, she knew it was neither the time nor the place. It wouldn’t be long before they started searching the moat for her and, if anyone had been watching her closely, her jewelry and sash would identify her in an instant.

Mipha needed to get moving so that she could return to the manor before her stepfamily did.

The Zora rose, poking her face out of the water so that she could just see the top of the wall. She watched for a moment, waiting to be sure that no one would see her leaving the moat. 

She sunk back down as a figure peered out over the wall, looking for any trace of her. Despite the darkness and the distance, Mipha’s sharp eyes were able to pick out enough details to know it was Link. The outfit, the hair, the set of his shoulders, and those bright blue eyes all stood out to her even from so far away. Her heart quickened as she reflexively sunk deeper, hoping that he hadn’t seen her. Even as she tried to stay hidden, she reached upward, with a single hand as though she might be able to grasp him and the life he had promised her right then and there. She hung like that, suspended in the water even as he turned away and left.

Mipha stared at the empty space longing, finally allowing her arm to fall. With one last monumental effort, she turned away and made her way to the edge of the moat.

* * *

Mipha was waiting with clasped hands and her usual soft smile as her stepfamily finally returned home. She had hastily hidden her sash and jewelry underneath the floorboards, washed the grime from the moat off, and had donned her apron and kerchief. Knowing that she would only have a little time to herself, the Zora had then begun preparing some tea and biscuits. The entire time, she found herself remembering the night fondly almost reenacting her dance with Link as she went. Yes, there had been some rather stressful and sorrow-filled moments but, as she looked back, those moments were tinged with joy.

She had gotten to dance with her Prince, stolen off alone with him, and had come to learn that he did indeed remember the promise he had made.

The Zora was all too aware that reality would sink in soon enough but she was determined to enjoy her personal fantasy for a little longer. She had long since come to understand that doing so would help sustain her in the days to come.

The only thing that truly put a damper on her mood was whether or not Midna was okay. The imp was clever and knew how to stay out of sight but considering how close Mipha had come to being caught herself, she couldn’t help but worry just a little. Still, focusing on such things wouldn’t do her friend any favors and would only irritate her when she finally found her way back to the manor. So, the Zora chose to place her faith in her friend.

“How was the ball?” Mipha asked as her stepfamily stomped through the door.

Her stepmother said nothing as she marched past her and into the parlor.

“It was simply dreadful,” her older stepsister replied with a groan. “Some sorry-looking girl stumbled in late and the Prince, bless his heart, felt so bad for her that he actually danced with her.”

“She had the most hideous dress,” the younger one added.

“I’m so sorry,” Mipha said, trying her best to sound sincere. Hopefully, they were too busy pitying themselves to notice the slight smile in her voice. “Would some tea help to warm you up and lift your spirits?”

“Yes,” they replied dully.

Silently, Mipha poured tea for the three of them, doing her best to keep her smile small and soft. Stirring in the varying amounts of sugar she knew each would like, she brought each a cup of the warm brew.

Her stepsisters said nothing as they received their cups, too busy wallowing to even find a reason to complain about her efforts. Her stepmother, however, seemed to have taken a special interest in her. “Tell me something,” the woman said as she took her own cup, “how can you be so selfish?”

“I’m sorry?” Her poor heart, already overworked, started beating rapidly.

“Here we are, on the brink of financial ruin, and you seem to find the money to spend on trinkets for yourself… or perhaps you stowed them away while we have all been in need.”

“Trinkets?” she asked weakly.

“That sash and bracelets of yours. They are far too fine for the likes of you.”

“O-oh… a dear friend let me borrow them.”

“You? Friends?”

The Zora didn’t respond to the jab of her stepsister, instead, keeping her eyes locked on her stepmother’s.

“And what did this friend look like?”

“S-she’s a Hylian girl, with bright red hair.”

“And what Hylian would take enough pity on you to be your friend?”

Mipha said nothing, suddenly feeling tears spring up in her eyes. How? How could someone allow themselves to say such cruel and heartless things? It shouldn’t hurt her anymore to hear such things, but it stung all the same. Not for the first time, she wondered if her father had been forced to listen to such awful things.

“Well, no matter. A girl just like that wore an identical sash and bracelets to the ball. I take it you returned them already.”

“I did,” the Zora replied as she blinked back tears.

“Good.” The woman sat back, waving her off dismissively. “Now go find something else to do. I don’t have the patience to deal with your tears.”

“Yes madam.” With a small bow, she left the room behind and retreated upstairs, seeking sanctuary in her room. Shutting the door firmly behind her, Mipha listened carefully before prying open the floorboards and pulling out her treasures, running her hands over them fondly as she remembered what it had felt like to wear them while dancing with the Prince. Soon enough, the hurt faded away behind the happy memory and the familiar ache of longing. She wondered briefly if she had made the right choice, to hide her identity from him. She wished that she had said something, anything, to let him know that she had heard him and was willing to wait as long as it took.

But, there was no going back now.

And then she noticed something amiss. “Oh no… oh no, oh no.” Picking it up, the tiara unfolded, to reveal that at some point during the night, a bangle had fallen off. With a sigh, she folded the remaining bangle carefully and replaced the jewelry back into hiding. Sitting down on her bed, she found herself smiling fondly. Yes, the loss of the bangle was certainly a blow but maybe, if she was lucky, Link would find it and hold onto it. And if not, then perhaps she could have a new one made in a few years. It wouldn’t be exactly the same as it was one of the most precious gifts she had from her father but maybe that wasn’t a horrible thing. Perhaps, the new bangle could represent one of the most precious memories she had with someone else she cared very deeply about.

Of course, she was far too tired to figure out much more than that. All she needed was to assure herself that the damage wasn’t irreparable. 

With a contented sigh, the Zora lay down, already half asleep as her head hit the hard pillow. Flowers, ferns, and other plants sprang up all around her as she could feel herself once again dancing with Link. Some distant part of her knew that she was already dreaming; however, she only allowed it to speak long enough to call quietly to her friend. “Midna?” 

Silence answered her but she was already too far gone to notice.

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't going to mark this Lipha but... let's be honest. After the death of OWaP, is there really any other pairing this would be?
> 
> Thanks to EchoGekkos for help with the title and the... everything else really.
> 
> And to the Mipha Protection Squad... I love y'all. Thanks for the support and encouragement. It means a lot.


End file.
